Vacuum cleaner



July 10, 1934. L ELL 1,965,765

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 27, 1930 INVENTOR J m/4am! fli-ATTORN EY Patented Jul 10, 1 934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUM CLEAN" poratlon of Delaware Application February z In Germany 1, 1930, Serial No. 431,756 May 1:,

11 Claims. (01. 167-3) This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and like devices employing acurrent of air and operating to clean air or other materials. More particularly the invention relates to vacuum cleaners 5 and like apparatus employing an air-conditioning substance, such as a disinfectant or insecticide, and still more particularly to such apparatus comprising in combination with other parts thereof, a receptacle for a vaporizable disinfectant, insecticide or perfume, which may be located in the air stream of the cleaner, whereby the air stream may be impregnated with the vapor thereof. The invention provides a compact receptacle which may be readily applied to the cleaner and which is so constructed that a maximum of vaporization is obtained from the surface of the material contained therein.

One object of the invention is to provide a cheap, simple and compact receptacle for use in conjunction with such apparatus and which may be readily applied to a vacuum cleaner. Other objects of the invention are: to provide a receptacle for solid particles in which the air circulation is so maintained as to effect a maximum contact with the surface of said particles; to provide a receptacle in which the required air distribution is obtained in a simple and efllcient manner; to provide means whereby the receptacle may be attached to the cleaner between the main unit of the cleaner and the air hose in the direct path of the air stream; to provide a receptacle of the above type which is relatively light, contains no moving parts and may be readily transported or stored when not in use; and to provide a relatively, simple, dependable, highly emcient and convenient device of the type above indicated. The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth andclaimed.

Although the novel features which are-believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in. the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, advantages, the mode of its operation and the manner of its organization may be better understood by referring to the following description taken' in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, of which 5 Fig. 1 isan assembly view, principally in cross section, of a cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention; ,Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectionatview ofthe receptacle; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof taken on the llne3f3of11g.2.

- which is adapted to be threaded in the internal Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In the following description, andin the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic Q in their application to similar parts as the state of the art will permit.

Referring to the drawin more in detail. there is shown a vacuum cleaner unit comprising a barre! 10,; having a housing 11 mounted on one end 06 thereof and a bell 12 mounted on the opposite end thereof. Barrel 10, bell l2 and the outer part of housing 11 form the casing of the cleaner unit. Housing 11 contains the fan 18 and driving motor 19 by means of which the cleaner is operated to to produce a current of air in the direction of'the arrows. A pair of runners 13 is mounted on barrel 10 in a position to support the cleaner unit on a surface such as a floor. A handle 14 maybe provided for enabling the cleaner to be easily trans- 1g ported. A dust bag 35 is removably contained in the barrel l0, clamps being provided for releasing bell 12 to remove the dust bag. .There is also a filter 36 through which all the air must pass,

this filter serving to separate out certain im- .0

"purities;

Bell 12 and housing 11 are provided with similar central internally threaded passages or ports 3'7 and 38 respectively in either of which a coupling member 15 may be threaded. Passage 3'1 may be gs termed the air inlet opening of the casing. Passage 38 may be termed the air discharge opening of the casing. Said member 15 has an internal bore adapted to receive the tapered endof an air hose 16 which terminates in nozzle 17 of standard .0

construction. By screwing coupling 15' into hell l2 and inserting the air hose therein, the device may be used to suck air as in cleaning carpets; By screwing coupling 15 into housing 11 and inserting the air hose therein, the device may be used as a blower.

The receptacle or container for solid particles comprises a houslng 20 of circular contour. having at one end thereof an external screw thread 21 too screw threads of members 11 and 12, above mentioned. At the other end of housing 20 is provided an intemal screw 22 which is adapted to receive coupling member 15.

In the open end of housing 20 adjacent to threads 21 is mounted an insert 23 having a closed end 24 and having side walls 25 which are bent inwardly to form guiding vanes 28 and air outlet openings 27. A funnel shaped member 30, having an internal opening '31, is mounted within insert no 23 in a position to direct the'air stream into the central portion thereof.

Insert 23 is provided with a flange 33 over which a flange 34, formed on funnel shaped member 30, is securely crimped. The outer surface of insert 23, adjacent flange 33, is preferably circular and is of such contour and dimension that it may be frictionally engaged by an internal flange 35 formed on housing 20 adjacent threads 21. In front of the opening formed by internal threads 22 of housing 20' is a screen 36 which may be formed of wire mesh or other suitable material.

For insecticidal purposes a solid material, having a low surface tension such as crystals of para-- dichlorobenzol or para-dibromobenzol may be placed within housing 20. These crystals give off a vapor which can readily diffuse into an air current.

In the operation of the above described device for blowing an air current carrying vapors, coupling member 15 is removed from the cleaner and inserted within threads 22 of housing 20. The desired crystals are then placed within said housing and insert 23 is pressed into place and frictionally engaged by flange 35 to form a cover for the housing. Housing 20 is then threaded into housing 11 and air hose 16 is inserted within the bore of coupling member 15.

When the motor is started an air current is drawn in through the central opening of bell 12, passed through the cleaner mechanism and is discharged through member 30 into insert 23. The air current then passes outwardly through openings 27 which impart a whirling motion thereto and cause the currents to pick up and agitate the crystals contained within housing 20. The rapidly whirling air currents within housing 20 pass over the various surfaces of the crystals contained therein and .become charged with the vapor therefrom. The vapor laden air is then passed through screen 36 and discharged through air hose 16.

It is to be noted that the air is passed through the motor of the vacuum cleaner, wherein it is heated before it is applied to housing 20. The efficiency of the device is accordingly increased since the crystals are more readily vaporized by warm air and a greater quantity of disinfecting vapor is adsorbed 'thereby. Furthermore, the shape of the insert is such that a rapid whirling motion is imparted to the air about an axis which is parallel to the normal direction of air movement. This whirling motion agitates the crystals in a direction parallel to screen36 and thereby minimizes the tendency of the crystals to clog said screen and impede the passage of air therethrough.

It is obvious that the number of guiding vanes 26 and openings 27, whichare formed in the wall of insert 23, may be varied as desired. A particular number has been shown in the drawing by way of illustration only. The funnel shaped member 30 serves to properly direct the air current whereby the guiding blades are permitted to operate efllciently, and also serves as a closure to prevent accidental discharge of the crystalline material from the interior of housing 20.

It will be evident that the device may be used with various types of solid material and may be employed for other purposes. One particular use has been given as an illustration only. Furthermore, the operation may be carried on dur-l ing the normal use of the vacuum cleaner, if so desired, and the receptacle may be mounted either at the suction'or blower ports of the device by a-simple interchange of parts. Theconstruction of the receptacle is such that it may be readily applied to and removed from the cleaner. Furthermore, the insert which is frictionally' se cured within the container may be easily removed to permit filling of the container with the desired solid particles.

While certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of thedevice illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for solid particles comprising a housing of general cylindrical formationand havingopenings at both ends, a screen in front of one of said openings, an insert mounted in the other of said openings, said insert being adapted to discharge air peripherally within said container and forming a cover for the container.

2. A container for solid particles comprising a housing of general cylindrical formation and having openings at both ends, a screen in front of one of said openings, and an insert mounted in the other of said openings having substantially peripheral vanes for imparting circular motion to air and discharging said air within said con-' tainer.

3. A container for solid particles comprising a housing of general cylindrical formation and having openings at both ends, a screen in front of one of said openings,'an insert mounted in the other of said openings having substantially liO peripheral vanes for imparting circular motion to air and discharging said air within said container, and a funnel shaped member mounted within said insert and adapted to direct air into the interior thereof.

4. A container for solid particles comprising a housing of general cylindrical formation and having openings at both ends, a screen in front of one of said openings, an insert mounted in the other of said openings having substantially 120 peripheral vanes for imparting circular motion to air and discharging said air within said container, and means for frictionally securing said insert within said container.

5. A container for solid particles comprising 1 5 a substantially circular housing having open'ends,

a screensecured over one of said ends, an insert mounted in the other of said ends, said insert having a solid end and substantially peripheral vanes, a funnel shaped member mounted within 132 said insert, said funnel shaped member and said insert having contacting flanges by which they are joined, and said insert being frictionally secured within said container, whereby it may be readily removed to expose the contents thereof. 135

6. An accessory for use with a vacuum cleaner unit comprising a casing of circular form adapted to hold a'vap orizable and agitatable substance and having a chamber therein and axially aligned inlet and outlet openings, 9. screen betweensaid chamber and said outlet, and means associated with the inlet-opening having peripherally disposed discharge openings for whirling the substance in said chamber parallel to said screen.

7. In a vacuum cleaner, acyli'ndrical casing, means for mounting said casing on a horizontal axis, said casing having an air discharge opening, a container for solid particles, means for attaching said container to said opening. said container comprising a housing having an inlet 150 general cylindrical formation,

opening and an outlet opening, a central member in said housing, said central member having means for discharging air outwardly therefrom at the periphery thereof and imparting rotary motion to the air about the horizontal axis of the casing and a screen in said container in front of the outlet opening of said housing.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having a threaded air port, a container for solid particles having a threaded portion adapted to screw into said port, an insert mounted within said container and frictionally secured adjacent to said threaded portion, said insert being bent to provide substantially peripheral vanes adapted to cause circular motion of air and a member for directing air into said insert.

9. In a vacuum cleaner comprising a cylindrical cleaner unit having an air opening, a receptacle containing crystals of a vaporizable insecticide, said receptacle having a housing of means mounted within said housing having a plurality of peripherally disposed discharge openings to impart rotary motion to air whereby the air is caused to agitate said crystals, and means for mount ing said receptacle adjacent said opening and axially in line with said unit.

10. In a vacuum cleaner comprising a cylindrical cleaner unit having an air opening, a

receptacle containing crystals of a vaporizable insecticide, said receptacle having a housing of general cylindrical formation, means mounted within said housing having a plurality of peripherally disposed discharge openings to impart rotary motion to air whereby said air is causedto agitate said material, means for mounting said receptacle adjacent said air opening and axially in line with said cleaner unit, and means for heating the air in said cleaner unit before applying the air to said receptacle.

11. The combination with a vacuum cleaner comprising a casing and an air hose associated therewith, means for producing flow of air through said casing and means for operating said cleaner as a blower including a coupling, of a receptacle containing solid material of the class of para-dichlorobenzol and para-dibromobenzol crystals, means for rigidly connecting said receptacle between the casing and the coupling, said receptacle having a retaining screen therein and substantially peripherally, disposed vanes therein for producing rotary motion of air, the arrangement being such that air passes first through the casing, then through the receptacle, then through the coupling and then through the air hose.

LABS ELL. 

